


Prompt: 'Stay Quiet'

by Rangergirl3



Series: Whumptober 2019 [30]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Assassination, Blood and Injury, Gen, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Protective Shiro (Voltron), Rescue, Sniper Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:33:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24243598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rangergirl3/pseuds/Rangergirl3
Summary: It's a very, very bad idea to hurt someone Shiro cares for.Direct continuation of the previous three prompts.
Relationships: Allura & Keith (Voltron), Coran & Keith (Voltron), Hunk & Keith (Voltron), Keith & Lance (Voltron), Keith & Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith & Shiro (Voltron), Matt Holt & Keith
Series: Whumptober 2019 [30]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1506101
Comments: 15
Kudos: 167





	Prompt: 'Stay Quiet'

Keith's eyes are closed, so he doesn't see what happens next. All he knows is that one minute, his head is about to crushed under the Galra General's boot. The next, the pressure is gone, and the sounds of gunfire erupt all around him.

_What's happening?_

Shouting, lots of shouting, from all around him, but none of it is coherent. It sounds like a rescue is underway.

Keith's body can't keep up with the injuries he's sustained. Finally, but far too late, his consciousness is fading away into darkness. For all he knows, he might never wake up.

Voices, some of friend, some of foe.

He can't tell who's winning.

Somewhere above him, the Galra General's voice roars in fury, but even that isn't enough to stir Keith into action.

His chest feels empty. The only thing left of him is pain.

The last things he hears before everything goes black is someone saying his name.

* * *

Later, after everything had ended, he was told the full story.

How Lance's first shot removed the Galra General's foot from his leg, and the second shot - taken only seconds after the first - had gone straight through the Galra General's shoulder. 

_"I wanted to go for a headshot," Lance confided quietly, as Coran arranged a brace for Keith's broken ankle, "but Shiro said the guy's skull was extra thick or something. Seems like bastard had impenetrable armour in that area, so, you know, I figured I'd just focus on getting him away from you. And, if some poetic justice happened in the process, that was fine by me."_

How Hunk had hacked into six different Galra fleets in order to piece together the coordinates of where Keith had been taken after he had been captured.

_"It was like this massive, complicated, 3-D puzzle," Hunk explained, stoutheartedly remaining near Keith's side while Allura disinfected the shoulder wound. "Every fleet had some of the info, but it only made sense after I got all the pieces." Later, Keith found out that Hunk had worked without sleep for over three days straight._

How, after Lance had taken down the immediate threat to Keith's life, Shiro had single-handedly taken out the rest.

_"It was like a one-man army," Matt said. "He just - went into the room and sliced, diced, and beheaded anything that was between him and you. It was amazing."_

_Keith glanced over towards Shiro, who just shrugged like it hadn't been a big deal, but he tightened his grip on Keith's hand just a little bit, like he was remembering something that was unpleasant, but vitally important._

_"You should know, Keith - I - I killed the thing that hurt you. It's dead. It's never coming back."_

* * *

* * *

From where she sits on the other side of the bed holding Keith's hand, Pidge smiles a wolflike smile.

"It's _very_ dead. Matt and I personally cremated the remains. I also...may have burned the ashes again. And then thrown them into a shredder, and burned the ashes again. You know. Just to make absolutely sure."

Keith lets out a faint sigh of relief, but he's unable to articulate his thanks any further.

Allura's brow furrows in concern.

"Keith, please, don't speak. You're injuries are - well, it's best that you stay quiet for now. And - please don't - please don't feel like you have to thank us. We're your _team._ "

"Yeah, man," Lance chimes in. He's standing with Hunk near the door, as that's the only space remaining in the room. "We've got your back."

Matt sniffs quietly. "Yeah. Uh - Keith - "

Keith blinks, slowly, because Matt seems - sad - why would...oh. 

It takes some effort, but Keith manages to shake his head from side to side.

_Not your fault._

Pidge's chin starts to quiver, but she squares her shoulders and coughs a few times. 

"Uh, right, okay - um - so - uh - oh! Oh, Shiro, tell him that cool thing you said just before you finished the fight!"

Shiro gives her a look that seems genuinely confused. "Um. What?"

Hunks face visibly brightens. 

"Aw, come on, Shiro! You know, the thing you said about - something - uh - oh! The lightning thing!"

Now Matt's joined in on the looking-confused thing that Shiro's doing.

"I don't remember th- oh, that thing. Wait, I thought that was Lance, who said it?"

Lance's eyes light up and he nods his head. 

"Oh, yeah! Okay, so, like, Shiro had his bayard, right, and it was this insanely cool looking sword thing, totally awesome, and he'd just - well, you know, killed the slimebag, and I said -"

Shiro's face breaks into a half-smile and he almost rolls his eyes.

"Oh, that. Yeah, now I remember."

Allura's on the edge of her chair. 

"What? Lance, what did you say?!"

Lance's grin is so bright, it could rival the sun.

"I said, 'Damn, I'm glad I'm friends with the lightning.'"

There's a brief moment of silence, broken by Coran.

"I'm afraid I don't get it, Lance. What does that mean?"

Matt chuckles. 

"It's - well, I think it's another way of saying "Holy fucking shit that was _amazing_ and _so cool_ and I am so glad that guy's on my side."

Coran nods. 

"Ah, I see. Yes, yes, I see. Agreed."

Keith looks back at Shiro, and although he can't speak, he manages a faint smile. It's there and gone in under a second, but Shiro sees it, and he smiles back.

A little while later, Keith drifts off to sleep.

Recovery won't be easy, but he knows he'll make it through.

His team will see to it.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my gosh, more prompts done! :D Yay!!!
> 
> Thank you so much for your comments and kudos - they are so incredibly affirming and heartwarming! <3 <3 <3 They truly help me gain/retain/'charge up' creatively speaking. :-)
> 
> I'm on Tumblr - come say hi!


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